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The School of Air Operations Control (SAOC) is the UK's training establishment for all military air traffic controllers (ATCs), sited at RAF Shawbury in
CATCS
RAF Recruitment
{{Shropshire 1963 establishments in the United Kingdom Air traffic control in the United Kingdom Air traffic controller schools Aviation schools in the United Kingdom Education in Shropshire Educational institutions established in 1963 Military training establishments of the United Kingdom Military units and formations in Shropshire Organisations based in Shropshire Training establishments of the Royal Air Force
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...
.
History
In 1950, the Central Navigation School joined the School of Air Traffic Control (from RAF Watchfield in south-westOxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...
), to form the Central Navigation and Control School (CN & CS).
In 1963, the Central Navigation School moved to RAF Manby in East Lindsey
East Lindsey is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England. The population of the district council was 136,401 at the 2011 census. The council is based in Manby. Other major settlements in the district include Alford, Wragby, Spilsby ...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
, and the Shawbury site became the Central Air Traffic Control School in February 1963. In 1972 the Area Radar School at RAF Sopley
RAF Sopley was a World War II station, codenamed ''Starlight'', near the village of Sopley in Hampshire. The Radar Station was opened in December 1940. In 1959 it became an air traffic control radar station, and finally closed on 27 September ...
in south-west Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
moved to Shawbury, being known as the Area Radar Training School.
In July 1989, the school embarked on mainly training via computers.
Women
In 1963, the first three women to become air traffic controllers qualified at the school: Flying Officer G. Lord, Flight Officer S. Grieve andPilot Officer
Pilot officer (Plt Off officially in the RAF; in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly P/O in all services, and still often used in the RAF) is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countri ...
A.P. Scougal.''Times'', 7 March 1963, page 5
Structure
The SAOC also houses the Flight Operations Training School for Flight Operations Officers. Much of the training is done on computers, with the Computer Systems Squadron (CSS).See also
* College of Air Traffic Control,Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
, previously in Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
* Defence Helicopter Flying School
The Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) was a military flying school based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, England. The school, established in 1997, was a tri-service organisation and trained helicopter aircrews for all three British armed f ...
, also at Shawbury
* UK Military Flying Training System
* United Kingdom Low Flying System (UKLFS)
References
External links
CATCS
RAF Recruitment
{{Shropshire 1963 establishments in the United Kingdom Air traffic control in the United Kingdom Air traffic controller schools Aviation schools in the United Kingdom Education in Shropshire Educational institutions established in 1963 Military training establishments of the United Kingdom Military units and formations in Shropshire Organisations based in Shropshire Training establishments of the Royal Air Force